Cardiac Sonographer Salary – A Brief Guide

June 16, 2023

Cardiac sonography is one of the more exciting career options in healthcare. It involves the professional diagnosis of heart issues using sophisticated imaging technology. Like every other job, prospective sonographers are naturally inclined to find out how much they are likely to accrue in yearly earnings. As much as passion can lead you into a career, the truth is financial proceeds from a said career can help sustain that passion.

Not to worry, this article explores the cardiac sonographer salary and everything you need to know in that regard. Let’s get into it, shall we?

What Do Cardiac Sonographers Earn?

According to the U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, the average cardiac sonographer salary in the United States is $60,570 annually and $29.14 hourly. However, there are a number of states where cardiac sonographers earn even beyond the national average. The highest 10% earned more than $98,070 and the lowest 10% earned less than $29,910.

One of them is Idaho, where the average annual pay for a cardiac sonographer is $92,180. Another such state is the District of Columbia, where the average yearly earnings are pegged at $91,150. Another is Rhode Island, where the average annual pay for cardiac sonographers is $89,030, respectively. In Oregon, the average yearly income is $85,730, below the national average. Other states like Alaska also have yearly averages of $85,450 for cardiac sonographers.

What Do Cardiac Sonographers Do?

As we mentioned, cardiac sonography is a specialist career option in the vast and sensitive healthcare field. What they do is employ savvy ultrasound imaging technology to diagnose a patient’s heart condition. The process is otherwise known as an echocardiogram, and the job of the sonographers is to obtain images and recordings of the best possible quality.

Cardiac sonographers also work with doctors to assess the results and figure out what exactly the problem is with the patient’s heart. Owing to the saddening surge in heart diseases in America and globally, it has become one of the most in-demand specialist services right now.

How To Become A Cardiac Sonographer?

Like any other job in the healthcare field, cardiac sonography is very sensitive and requires years of training. There is low to zero tolerance for error as it involves other people’s lives.

Below are some mandatory conditions you will need to fulfill en route to becoming a certified cardiac sonographer:

Get A High School Diploma

Usually, you’d need a college degree to become a cardiac sonographer, and getting into college requires a high school diploma.

Get A College Degree

A number of colleges now offer degrees in diagnostic medical sonography and cardiovascular technology. You can opt for either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in any of these colleges. We advise going for a bachelor’s degree if you have no medical background whatsoever.

Register For Certificate Programs

Once you have your degree, you can opt for a cardiac sonography certificate program. The certificate is crucial to the training of any cardiac sonographer and helps with fine-tuning their knowledge.

Get A License

Some states require cardio sonographers interested in practicing professionally to get a license. You can always check the state’s policy and municipal regulations to know if you need to obtain a license. We should add that your chances of securing a license in states with “license policies” are higher if you have a degree.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Cardiac Sonographer Salary

What Is The Highest Annual Pay For Cardiac Sonographers?

We mentioned earlier that cardiac sonographers in Idaho earn an average annual salary of $92,180. This is the highest average in the entire country.

Interestingly, a cardiac sonographer can even earn more if he has some additional skills. Such additional skills include foreign language proficiency, team leadership, and quality control. And, of course, we cannot leave out the place of experience and years of consistency.

How Many Years Does It Take To Be A Cardiac Sonographer?

Cardiac sonography degree programs typically take four years for a bachelor’s degree and two years for an associate degree. However, there are other programs that run for about 18-21 months. It all depends on which program you sign up for.

What Machines Do Cardiac Sonographers Use?

Cardiac sonographers typically use the echocardiography machine, otherwise known as the cardiac ultrasound scanner. Unlike other sonography machines, the device focuses on the heart and its blood vessels. The machine uses sound waves to create high-quality images of the heart.

Is Cardiac Sonography Stressful?

There is hardly any job that one gets paid for that doesn’t involve some level of stress. Most, if not all, jobs in the healthcare field are super stressful, and cardiac sonography is no different. While it isn’t as stressful as major medical jobs, cardiac sonography requires its practitioners to stand multiple times.

However, if you are a cardiac sonographer and you work as part of a team, the stress level reduces, and you get some rest in between sessions. Also, the job is only as tiresome as the number of patients you have daily.

Do You Have To Wear Scrubs As A Cardiac Sonographer?

The answer is Yes. Cardiac sonographers typically wear comfortable nursing scrubs and slip-resistant kicks, as this help keep them safe and comfortable on the job.

Can Cardiac Sonographers Wear Stethoscopes?

Cardiac Sonographers are permitted to wear stethoscopes while carrying out their ultrasound procedures. It helps them to listen to and pick out heart sounds as well as measure blood pressure.

Wrapping Up

The demand for sonography is increasing. Also, finding a career in this industry is the best choice you can make for your career. If you have been looking for different career options as a sonographer and wanted to know the average salary of a cardiac sonographer this article could have helped you!

If you have the desire to start your career as a sonographer, you can start preparing for the exam by taking our free SPI practice test.